Affectionate grooming followed by a nip is a common feline behavior. This action, often puzzling to owners, involves a cat licking a person’s skin and then gently biting them. The intensity of the bite can range from a soft nibble to a more noticeable pinch.
Understanding this behavior requires considering the cat’s social background. Grooming is a bonding activity among cats, and extending this behavior to humans is often a sign of affection and trust. The subsequent bite might stem from overstimulation during licking, mimicking the playful fighting that occurs between feline littermates, or to signal that the cat wants the interaction to cease.